Around the world, empowered women are achieving visible progress. We know the power of positive role modelling; how vital it is for girls growing up to see the success of their contemporaries, and through education, experience and example, for it to come within their grasp. In 2016, the first year of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, UN Women supported women to claim their right to equal treatment under the law, to gain elected office, to draw on the power of innovation and technology, and to become leaders through sports, among many other initiatives. We also supported civil society and women’s rights activists to inform and influence crucial policy discussions.